She Rocks Awards TV Special to Shoot At NAMM

The Creators and Producers of Planet X Action Lifestyle Television, The Women’s International Music Network, and E Entertainment Television’s Cannes Film Festival Specials have teamed up to create a TV special focusing on the 2nd Annual She Rocks Awards, an event celebrating and honoring acclaimed women in the music industry. The awards event takes place in Anaheim, CA, on Friday January 24, 2013. Women honored include:

SHEILA E

World-famous percussionist, entertainer and music icon Sheila E has collaborated with artists such as Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, Diana Ross, Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, Ringo Starr, Patti Labelle, Billy Cobham, Miles Davis and more. She also toured, recorded and co-wrote with Prince for many years, while garnering hits of her own from a string of successful solo records.

Janie L. Hendrix is President/CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC, Authentic Hendrix LLC, JMH Productions and the Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation. Through her leadership of these companies, Hendrix is living out her lifelong dream to see the musical legacy of her brother Jimi Hendrix preserved, promoted and protected.

Hendrix is involved in various philanthropic and educational efforts through her participation as a board member with The Fender Foundation, Northwest African American Museum, Tabor 100, National Association of Recording Artists, YMCA of Greater Seattle Board of Managers, Friends of Jimi Hendrix Park, The Center Stage Council of The Paramount and the GRAMMY Foundation.

DINAH GRETSCH

Dinah Gretsch is Executive Vice President and CFO of the Savannah-based Gretsch Company, which is famous for the creation of high-quality drums and guitars. She has been a prominent figure in the musical instrument industry for more than thirty years.

That prominence was recognized in 2003 when the Atlanta Chapter of NARAS presented her with the Heroes Award, followed by her induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2010, Gretsch created Mrs. G’s Music Foundation, which supports music programs in rural schools while enriching children’s lives through participation in music.

MARICELA “MJ” JUAREZ

Maricela “MJ” Juarez has become a legend within the community of guitar players seeking to change their tone. For over 30 years she has been winding pickups at Seymour Duncan, where she has lent her talent to creating pickups for Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Peter Frampton and just about any other guitar player you can name.

Her artistry and skill in taking a description of what a guitar player needs and combining magnets, wire and winds to turn it into a reality has kept her busy. When asked if something is possible, she will almost always reply, “If you dream it, the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop can build it.”

BETH MARLIS

Beth Marlis has traveled many creative roads over the 30+ year span of her performing career, while having simultaneously carved out a singular path as a leader in the world of contemporary music education. She’s had the honor to serve as longtime Director of Musicians Institute’s Guitar Program (GIT), and is currently a senior guitar faculty member and Vice President at the college.

She finds her balance volunteering as the Executive Director of The Musicians Foundation and producer of ongoing music education programs for underserved high school students at The Grammy Museum. She is Vice Chair of the Executive Committee for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Education Committee for The Recording Academy (The Grammys).

GABY MORENO

Born and raised in Guatemala City, Gaby Moreno’s versatile, soulful voice and songs are charming audiences all over the world. She is the first Latin American to win Song of the Year in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, was nominated for an Emmy for writing NBC’s Parks and Recreation‘s theme song and has toured with Tracy Chapman, Ani DiFranco and more recently Hugh Laurie. In 2013 she received a Latin GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist.

ROBIN WALENTA

Robin Walenta is the President and CEO of West Music Company. West Music is based in Coralville, Iowa with six retail stores and several businesses that serve musicians nationally. Under Robin’s leadership, West Music has grown from a small Midwest business to the 14th largest music retailer in the US.

Robin embodies West Music’s mission, “to enrich people’s lives through participation in music” through her numerous contributions to the music industry. These include serving on NAMM’s Executive Committee (as the first woman on the Committee in NAMM’s 113 year history), the NAMM Ad-Hoc Technology Committee, the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education (treasurer), and the board of the National Association of School Music Dealers.

“The She Rocks Awards Music TV Special!” also features performances by:

THE COMMAND SISTERS

Siblings, wicked harmonies, mastered musicians/multi-instrumentalists and songwriters that garnered them a publishing deal out of Nashville at the ripe ages of 12 and 15, the Command Sisters are stealing hearts everywhere from Alberta to Tennessee. Their music is fresh and new. Charlotte’s unique lead vocals and writing style along with Sarah’s ability to solo and riff like ‘one of the boys’ defines their sound — ‘country with soul’ — ‘edgy/indie country pop.’ Whatever it is, it’s exciting and innovative and completely their own.

GABY MORENO

Born and raised in Guatemala City, Gaby Moreno’s versatile, soulful voice and songs are charming audiences all over the world. She is the first Latin American to win Song of the Year in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, was nominated for an Emmy for writing NBC’s Parks and Recreation‘s theme song and has toured with Tracy Chapman, Ani DiFranco and more recently Hugh Laurie. In 2013 she received a Latin GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist.

MALINA MOYE

Flipping a Fender Stratocaster upside-down, acclaimed singer/songwriter/lefty guitarist Malina Moye fills a void in the entertainment industry. Described as a modern day renaissance woman, she’s a quadruple threat, carving out her own lane in today’s music scene as one of the few artists in history able to straddle both rock and soul genres. Moye’s musical narrative boasts an impressive resume that includes making history as the first African-American woman to play the National Anthem on guitar at a professional sporting event, all the way to performing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tribute concert for music pioneer Chuck Berry. Malina was praised by Jet Magazine as “the highlight of the evening” after she headlined the largest peace concert on the west coast with Chaka Khan honoring the legendary humanitarian Stevie Wonder. More recently, Malina released a single featuring Bootsy Collins called “Kyotic.”

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE

“The She Rocks Awards Music TV Special!” will cover the entire NAMM Show. The team will capture exclusive gear demos as well as groundbreaking performances by emerging and well-known female artists of all genres. It will highlight the companies catering to the burgeoning female demographic that has been severely under-served in the music and audio industries.

SPECIAL HOSTS

“The She Rocks Awards Music TV Special!” will feature veteran music industry journalist and creator of the Women’s International Music Network (theWiMN.com), the She Rocks Awards, and the Women’s Music Summit, Laura B. Whitmore. Whitmore will lead the team of hosts comprised of some of the industry’s hottest award-winning musicians, including Divinity Roxx, Inch Chua, and 2013 Hit Like a Girl Champion Val “Drummer Girl” Sepulveda, who will be hosting in English and Spanish.

They will be interviewing and featuring the best of the best, giving viewers a one-of-a-kind glimpse of today’s buzzing talent – some of which may be future honorees and performers at the next She Rocks Awards!